Riot Games has announced that it will end the VALORANT Challengers Oceania league in 2026, saying the program is no longer financially sustainable.
In a statement, Riot said it had hoped the league would grow into a long-lasting and stable competition for the region. But after several years, viewership and player participation did not increase as expected. Because of this, running the league has become too costly compared to the level of interest it receives.
Even though Challengers Oceania is coming to an end, Riot says it still believes in the region’s potential. Starting in 2026, Oceania players will be able to enter the wider VALORANT Champions Tour through Premier, which is an in-game competitive tournament mode that serves as a pathway from casual play to professional esports like the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT).
The top Premier teams will move into a regional qualifier, and the winner will earn a spot in a Last Chance Qualifier. From there, they can compete for one of four places in the VCT Pacific Stage 2 Playoffs.
Riot also plans to support more community and grassroots tournaments in Oceania, since interest in smaller local events has been growing. The changes will not affect Game Changers Oceania as it will continue running in 2026.
To make the transition easier, Riot will reward strong Premier teams from 2025. The best teams from the last three acts of the 2025 season will be placed directly into the Invite Division for V26A1, where they can compete for points and a path forward in 2026.
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